Missed Target
by theatrchy2004
Summary: Warning! SLASH No likey, no readey. A rift in Roy and Dick's friendship tears them apart. Or does it? Set when the Titans were the grown-up Titans and Young Justice was still around.
1. The Fight

Focus.

Aim.

Shoot.

Dodge.

Focus.

Aim.

Roll.

Aim again.

Shoot.

To the casual observer, Roy Harper made archery look like a cakewalk,  
but Dick Grayson was no casual observer. He watched carefully as his  
teammate, Arsenal, went through the more rigorous battle simulations  
Cyborg had programmed into the Titans' training program. He watched  
each muscle in Roy's arms, chest and back tighten and relax with each  
twang of the bow. He watched a bead of sweat trickle down his  
teammate's temple...

Nightwing shook his head. "Get a grip, Grayson," he thought to  
himself. "It's never gonna happen."

*

"Simulation complete," the melodic, yet mechanical computer's voice  
echoed through the gym after Roy fired his last shot. Roy then heard  
clapping echo through the room, He turned to see his teammate,  
Nightwing, applauding him from the doorway.

"How long you been there, Short Pants?"

"Long enough to see you miss three targets," Nightwing smirked.

"Can it, Dick," Roy grumbled. "I'm having an off day."

Dick frowned. Despite all his trials and tribulations, Roy never had  
off days, not where his shooting was concerned anyway.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Yeah right," Roy snorted.

Dick smirked. "Want to work it off?"

Roy quirked an eyebrow.

Dick rolled his eyes. "Come on, Roy, when's the last time we sparred?"  
Seeing Dick take on a fighting stance, Roy grinned. "You're on, Short  
Pants."

* *

It had been a normal sparring match, with all the usual bad jokes  
(provided by Roy) and bad puns (provided by Dick). It wasn't until  
Roy actually managed to knock Dick off his feet and pin him to the  
ground that things turned...interesting.

"Trying to get me all hot and bothered, Speedy?" Dick grinned up at him.

Roy froze. Did Dick just...hit on him? No. He couldn't possibly see  
through...

He wasn't able to finish his thought before Dick had him pinned to the  
ground instead, that grin still plastered on his face.

Roy felt something flare up inside him and before Dick could react,  
Roy punched him. Hard. He immediately backed away from Roy and  
prepared to defend himself. Roy always pulled his punches. Always.  
Something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Dick? Having all the women you want isn't enough? Now  
you want to give men a try?"

Swing.

Block.

"I gotta tell you, Short Pants, you ain't my type, but that pretty red  
head of yours, what's her name? Barbara? Man, I wouldn't mind  
bedding her."

Dick continued blocking Roy's advances, refusing to give in to Roy's  
taunts, although he could feel the anger sinking into his gut.

"I mean, really, if you're gonna go the queen route, I guess all your  
women are up for grabs. I wonder if Kory has any need to learn Navajo."

Dick grunted as Roy landed a lucky kick. "Cracked rib," he  
noted mentally before taking a swing at Roy.

"Of course, there's always Huntress. Oh, wait, did her already."

"Roy..." Dick growled.

"What is it, Dick?" Roy sneered as he landed a punch to the gut. "You  
should thank me for taking all these women off your hands. Now you  
and Brucie can live happily ever after, just like in the tabloids."

* *

"You sure we won't be disturbing them?" Garth asked cautiously. "They  
get pretty involved when they sparr."

"Don't worry about it,Garth. Arsenal and Nightwing  
have a healthy rivalry, that's all. It's harmless." Donna stopped  
walking when Garth also stopped and tensed. "What?"

"Donna..."

She followed Garth's gaze into the gym. Her jaw dropped when she  
saw Nightwing using full force on Arsenal, who was still attempting to  
fight the Gothamite. despite his obvious injuries.

Donna and Garth quickly swooped in on the scene to pull their  
teammates apart.

"Roy! Stop it! You're already in bad enough shape!" Garth struggled  
with the archer.

"Lemme alone, Gillhead! He's got what's coming to him!

"Roy, you have one good arm. Call it quits now," Garth tried to  
remain calm.

Meanwhile, Donna tried to subdue Nightwing. When her coaxing had no  
effect, she grabbed him and whispered, "Richard John Grayson, stop it  
this instant. Look at Roy, for Hera's sake!"

Dick registered Donna's command enough to really see Roy since he lost  
his temper. Roy was standing, no, leaning against Garth, with a black  
eye, bloody nose, obviously sprained or broken arm, and another dozen  
injuries, he was sure, unnoticeable to the naked eye.

"Oh, god, what have I done?" he asked himself before bolting from the  
gym.

Donna looked to Garth, who nodded he was okay to handle Roy before  
following Dick out the door.

Garth sighed, "Come on, Speedy, let's get you to the infirmary."

* * *

Donna found Dick right where she expected to- on the beach outside the  
tower. He was sitting in the sand, his back hunched over his knees.  
Donna approached quietly, careful not to get too close yet. They  
remained in silence a few minutes. Finally, Dick spoke.

"I could have killed him," he whispered.

Donna rolled her eyes. "Drama queen." She sat beside him in the sand.

"I'm serious, Donna. I lost my temper. I...I hurt him."

"You've got a pretty nice shiner there yourself, Dick."

Dick touched the tender bruise on his cheek.

"This is all my fault."

"Dick, I know you. And I know Roy. He obviously did or said  
something to make you lose your temper like that."

"No. It was definitely..." Dick groaned and lay back on the sand,  
wincing slightly, feeling his cracked rib. "I let my gaurd down."

"Dick, I told you, Roy taunted you-"

"I'm not talking about anger, Donna."

Donna looked down at Dick. After a moment she registered what he was  
saying. "Dick?"

"I... I love him, Donna."

Donna sat there, stunned. After a moment, "How long?"

Dick shrugged. "Years. I always had a crush on him. I guess I  
realized I loved him when...when we almost lost him."

"The heroin," Donna acknowledged. Dick nodded. "How come you never  
said anything?"  
Dick shrugged.

Donna thought over the years she'd known Dick and Roy. The constant  
squabbling. The sparring. The subtle touches snuck in here and  
there. They were both so much more comfortable with each other than  
they were with anyone else she'd seen either of them with. "How did I  
not see it?" she asked herself.

"Too late now," Dick interrupted her thoughts.

"What do you mean 'too late'? Is Roy seeing someone?"

"Someone serious? No."

"See? Maybe he's interested."

Dick snorted. "Donna, if he were interested, I wouldn't have this  
shiner. And...and my friendship with Roy wouldn't be completely  
ruined." Without another word, Dick left Donna on the beach and left  
for Bludhaven.

* * *

"Ow!" Roy howled as Garth checked yet another injury.

"Definitely going to have to X-ray that. I think it's fractured."  
Garth moved from Roy's forearm up to the shoulder and down to check  
the ribs. "Honestly, Roy, you shouldn't say things that get your ass  
kicked."

"He started it!" Garth stared at Roy. "Well, he did!"

"Hmm."

"Fine, take his side."

"I'm not taking sides, Roy. Obviously Dick must have done something  
pretty bad for the sparring to escalate to that level."

"He did. That's why I made that joke about him and Bruce..."

Garth froze. "What about him and Bruce?"

Roy shrugged. "Well, you know how the tabloids are always making up  
shit about him and Bruce doing the horizontal mambo together."

"Roy, you know how sensitive Dick is to that issue. You know for a  
fact that Dick and Bruce do not share that type of relationship, it  
would practically be incest. Why did you even joke about it?"

"Yeah, well...he had it coming."

"What could Dick have possibly done to deserve that?" Roy clammed up.  
"Roy?"

"It was nothing."

"Clearly it wasn't nothing."

Roy thought over the events of the last hour. "Dammit, Harper, you're  
a fool," he thought to himself. Finally, he mumbled, "He flirted with  
me."

"What was that?"

"He flirted with me! And I freaked, I...I overreacted. I just  
figured it was a ploy, you know? A tactic to catch me off guard."

Garth smirked. "And did it?"

"That's not the point, Gillhead!"

Garth sighed. "Alright, Roy, calm down. You know, it doesn't sound  
like Dick to flirt with you as a means to best you."

"Well, you give me a good reason why Shortpants would be flirting with  
me, because I can't think of one!"

"Did it ever occur to you that Dick might have feelings for you?"

"That's bullshit, man, Dick's straighter than one of my arrows."

Garth just gave a knowing look. "If you say so, Roy."


	2. Two Weeks Later

"Dick here. I'm not able to come to the phone right now. If it's an  
emergency, you know how to reach me."

The shrill beep of the voice mail echoed through the room. It had  
been two weeks since the fight and with each unanswered phone call it  
became increasingly clear that Roy had single-handedly ended his  
friendship with Dick. He didn't bother to leave a message this time.  
Clearly, Dick wanted nothing to do with him.

"Daddy?" a small voice interrupted Roy's thoughts.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Roy turned the bedside lamp on, revealing his  
daughter clad in the Wonder Woman nightgown Donna had gotten her, and  
that she was steadily outgrowing.

Lian blinked and rubbed her eyes at the sudden increase in light. "I  
had a bad dream."

Roy patted the bed; Lian took the cue and bounded up onto the bed.  
"I'm sorry, sweetie. You wanna talk about it?"

Lian thought for a moment. "No."

"Okaaaaaaaay. You want a glass of water?"

"No."

Roy sighed. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

Lian gave Roy her best puppy dog impression. "Can I stay with you  
tonight?"

Roy smiled. "Sure, Etai Yazi."

Lian grinned and dove under the covers. Roy turned the lamp off and  
after a brief tickle fight, which ended as soon as Roy aggravated his  
cracked ribs, father and daughter settled in for the night.

"Daddy?" Lian called out sleepily through the dark.

"Yeah?" a sleepy Roy responded.

"When is Unca' Nightwing coming back?"

Roy's heart clenched. "I don't know."

"I miss him."

"I know, sweetie."

"You're happier when he's here."

Roy lay in silence, absorbing the insight a three year old had just  
administered.

"Night, Daddy."

"Night, Lian."

Lian drifted off to sleep, but sleep was not to come for Roy. He lay  
awake 'till dawn, but then the time for wondering was gone. A new day  
had begun.

*

*

Dick couldn't sleep. Since his fight with Roy, his whole world had  
turned upside down. That same day, feeling he had driven the love of  
his life away, he'd gone to the clocktower. Barbara had been  
surprised to see him. Without saying a word, Dick had picked her up  
and kissed her passionately, carrying her to bed. Since that night,  
he'd spent every night there with Barbara. He quit his job at the  
police department in Bludhaven. He still had his apartment there but  
hadn't set foot in it in over a week. All his clothes and vital  
belongings were with him in Gotham.

Dick sighed. He turned his focus from the ceiling to the woman  
sleeping next to him. Barbara was a good woman, and passionate too  
when she let herself. And Dick did love her very much. She'd been his  
first kiss, his high school sweetheart (before Bruce had interfered),  
the first person he'd ever had sex with. He knew he'd come to her  
because she was comfortable, but Roy had stolen his heart years ago.

It had taken him awhile to realize that the reason Roy annoyed him so  
much was because he was in love with Roy. He was in love with a man  
he couldn't have. Since that realization, his love life had been...  
tumultuous at best. His on again off again affair with Barbara, his  
fiery romance with Kori, his relationship with Joe. Not to mention his  
entanglements with Emily, the alleged Black Widow, and Meggie, an  
abused girl turned murderer. Last but not least was his brief fuck  
buddy arrangement with Garth, until it had become clear that Garth was  
falling for him. There were other faces and names he couldn't  
remember filling his sheets, but thinking back over them all, Dick  
realized he was trying to fill the empty hole in his heart. A hole  
called Roy.

Dick gazed at Barbara's sleeping form, brushing a piece of hair off  
her face. It was time to stop pretending. He loved Barbara; even if  
it wasn't in the same way he loved Roy, he loved her. It was time to  
do the right thing.


	3. The Announcement

"Where is everyone?" Grant whined, pulling the hair on his head back  
so tight his eyes narrowed.

"Wally and Roy are on their way," Donna explained calmly from the head  
chair at the conference table.

"Wally's always late," Jesse lamented from her seat beside Donna. "A  
speedster's curse, I suppose."

"How come you're always on time?" Grant asked.

"My double-X chromosome counters the effect," Jesse sneered. Toni  
tried to hide her snicker from a glaring Grant.

"HeyguyssorryI'mlaterwhatdidImiss?" Wally zoomed in.

"Wally! You messed up my hair!" Toni cried.

"We haven't started yet, Wally," Donna assured the Flash.

"Cool. Where are the snacks?" Wally didn't miss a beat as he plopped  
in his chair.

"Roy and Lian have been baking cookies all day. They should be here  
soon," Garth stated from his seat opposite Jesse.

"Hey guys," a voice rise above the anxious buzz in the room.

"Nightwing!" Donna exclaimed.

"Hey, man. Where in the world have you been?" inquired Wally.

"Yeah, you've missed, like, four meetings," Toni pitched in.

"Yeah, I know, I know," Dick scratched the back of his neck nervously.  
"I've been kind of busy."

"Busier than the rest of us?" workaholic Jesse accused.

"Well," Dick blushed, "sort of. I've kind of been busy planning my  
wedding."

"You're getting married?!" Toni squealed.

*CRASH!!!*

All eyes turned to the doorway where Roy stood with an empty platter  
and dozens of cookies scattered at his feet.

"Daddy!" Lian shrieked in horror.

"Five-Second-Rule! Five-Second-Rule!" Wally announced as he gathered  
up the cookies and placed the platter on the table. "Good as new."

"Blech. Gross, Wally," Toni made a face. Wally just grinned at her  
with a mouthful of cookies.

"Hey, Roy," Dick turned even redder.

Roy drank in the image of the one person he had longed to see for what  
seemed like an eternity, although it had only been a month. "You're  
getting married?" Had he said that out loud? He could barely hear  
himself think much less speak.

Dick scratched his head. "Uh, yeah."

Donna closed her eyes. "Oh, Dick, what have you done?" she thought.

Dick continued, "I, uh, I've been meaning to call you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know... I'm sorry about, uh-"

"Me, too, man. I, uh, don't know what got into me."

"Me either."

As everyone in the room began feeling increasingly awkward, Donna  
chimed in. "How about we have some snacks and catch up before we  
start the meeting?"

Dick and Roy both released breaths they didn't know they were holding.

"Congratulations, Nightwing," Jesse offered.

"Thanks, Jesse."

"Welcome to the club!" Wally hugged his friend. "I'll tell him  
everything I know."

"May heaven help him," Garth smirked.

Donna giggled and hugged Dick. "Congratulations, sweetie." Over  
Dick's shoulder she saw Roy leave the room. "Are you sure you're  
doing the right thing?" she whispered.

"I'm sure, Donna," Dick assured her. "For once in my life, I'm sure."

"Well, then... I'm happy for you," Donna smiled sadly.

Donna found Roy on the deck just outside the holographic tower above  
ground. He was leaning against the railing by his forearms, his head  
hanging low, his auburn hair a stark contract to the grey backdrop of  
the Atlantic at dusk.

"Roy."

Roy's head popped up. He turned quickly, a cocky grin plastered on  
his face. "Heeey. There's my favorite Wonder Chick."

Donna pursed her lips into a tight smile. "Roy, you can drop the act."

"What act, babe?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her  
tight. "Am I not allowed to see my most favorite girl in the world?"  
Donna just looked at him. After a moment Roy sighed. "Yeah,  
alright," he kissed her softly on the forehead and released her.  
"Guess I can't get anything past you."

"You never could, Roy."

Roy smirked. "Nah, I guess not."

They stood in silence awhile, looking out over the ocean.

"What is it, Roy?" Donna finally asked.

"I dunno," Roy shrugged. "First Wally, then Garth. Now Dick? I just  
thought we'd get to be bachelors together a little while longer."

Donn nodded. Then, "Really? That's all it is? The bachelor blues?"  
She seemed surprised.

"Um... yes?" Donna just stared at him. Again. "Look. Dick's my  
best friend. He's seen me at my worst and he still sticks around."

"Roy, Wally, Garth and I stuck around too," Donna responded, knowing  
exactly what Roy was talking about.

Roy nodded quickly. "Yeah, Donna, I know. But Dick never left. Even  
when Bruce demanded it, he never left my side. He saw it all, and he  
promised me we'd never have to go through anything without each other  
ever again!" Roy's face reddened and he pounded the railing with his  
fist.

"Roy," Donna rubbed Roy's back, "surely you knew one day Dick would  
find someone to marry? To share a life with?"

"I guess, but Donna," Roy smiled wryly, "I know it's stupid but...I  
just thought that maybe that person might be-"

"Roy!" a voice called out. Both Donna and Roy jumped and turned to  
see Dick coming toward them. "There you are! You okay? You took off  
so fast!"

"Yeah," Roy grinned. "I just needed to get some fresh air after  
spending all day in a hot kitchen."

Dick nodded, then acknowledged Donna. "Hey, Donna." After a pause,  
"Uh, do you mind if I talk to Roy, um..."

Donna's eyes widened, "Oh! No not at all." She turned to Roy,  
"We'll talk, later, Roy."

"Yeah, Donna." Roy released a breath watching her go. Dick may not  
have been who he wanted to be alone with right now, but he was about  
to spill something to Donna he wasn't even sure he was ready to admit  
to himself.

"Look, Roy," Dick ran his hand through his raven locks. "I know  
things haven't been that great between us lately, but um...Look, I  
would just...I just wanted to um..."

Roy grinned and rolled his eyes, "Spit it out Dick."

"Best man," Dick did spit out. "Whew. Yeah. Roy, I just wanted to  
ask you if you would be Best Man at my wedding?"

Roy blanched "Uh, yeah." He managed to smile again. "Yeah, man, I'd  
love to!"

"Great!" Dick's face broke out into a huge smile. It was that smile  
that rarely showed on Dick's face- not his lady-killer grin, not his  
"I'm about to bash our face in" grin that he gave criminals, but the  
smile that his closest friends knew meant he was genuinely happy. Roy  
loved seeing that smile on Dick's face, even if it meant going through  
his own personal hell for himself. "This is gonna be great," Dick  
continued, moving in to hug Roy.

Roy accepted the embrace. "Yeah, man. Great." He held Dick tight,  
not the way he wanted to, but as much as he could because he knew he'd  
never get to again.


	4. What Dreams May Come

Nightwing surveyed his city. It was raining so heavily, he could  
barely see three feet in front of himself, even with his night-vision  
lenses.

"Nightwing to Oracle," he activated his commlink, "you there, babe?"

"Oracle to Nightwing. I'm here. Over," the mechanized voice usually  
reserved for outsiders answered.

"It's raining cats and dogs here. If Two-Face is in Bludhaven, he's  
staying in for the night. I'm gonna crash here in the meantime.  
Over."

"I'll let Batman know. Over."

"Alright. Night, babe."

Nightwing took off in the direction of his apartment. He finally  
arrived there ten blocks later, hesitating before opening the window  
to enter. He hadn't stepped foot in the apartment in three months  
and was not sure what to expect. When he finally stepped into the  
apartment, all he could hear was the rain pounding outside, until he  
closed the window. Then he heard the distinct sound of an old Cowboy-  
Indian movie and a voice say, "There you are." Dick turned around to  
see Roy, wearing only a pair of old, tattered jeans, drinking a beer  
on his couch. "I was wondering when you'd get home," the redhead  
continued.

"Roy?" Dick removed his mask, shook the water from his hair and out  
of his eyes, and looked again. It was indeed Roy Harper. "Roy, how  
did you get in here? I don't even have a key anymore."

Roy chuckled. "Dick," he began. The archer stood up and swaggered  
over to Dick. "You know how I got here. Why I'm here." Roy was  
barely inches away from Dick now, his broad shoulders and chest  
making Dick feel small and powerless. He could smell the beer on  
Roy's breath, and that smell of salt and earth that was uniquely  
Roy. "You're all wet," Roy smirked.

"Huh?"

Roy chuckled. Effortlessly, he slipped his hands under  
Dick's shirt, peeling it upward, feeling every inch of Dick's perfect  
body.

Dick gasped, "Roy?"

"Shh." Dick felt himself being pushed against the window and Roy's  
lips on his, kissing him roughly.

*

Dick sat up in bed, breathing sharply.

"Dick?" Barbara rubbed her eyes. "What is it?" Dick turned to look  
at his fiancée and found himself speechless. The guilt and confusion  
he felt was too much Rather than answer her, he bolted out of bed  
and began pacing about the room. Barbara fumbled around on her  
nightstand, finding her glasses and putting them on. "Dick! What's  
gotten into you?"

"Gotta get out of here. Gotta get out of here," Dick started  
chanting. In a matter of seconds he grabbed a pair of pants and a  
jacket and bolted out the bedroom door.

Unable to go after him, Barbara grabbed her bedside phone and  
dialed. After a few rings, the other party picked up. "Alfred? It's  
Barbara."

*

Roy sighed and turned to look at his alarm clock. 3:45 A.M. the  
blaring red numbers read. The closer Dick's wedding got, the less  
sleep Roy got. The closer Dick's wedding got, the more convinced Roy  
was that he would die alone. He had his daughter, of course, whom he  
loved more than anything in the world, but spending time with a three-  
year-old was not the same as having a peer, an equal, to share his  
life with.

Resolved that he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, Roy got up  
out of bed and made his way to the kitchen to make some coffee.  
After setting up his coffee maker to percolate, he padded out to the  
living room where he noticed a shadow outside his window.  
Immediately sensing a threat, Roy grabbed the closest thing to him  
and approached the window. That's when he noticed the familiar shape  
and stance of the would-be intruder and sighed a breath of relief.

"Dick," he opened the window, "what the hell are you doing here?  
Shouldn't you be terrorizing the streets of Gotham?"

"I needed to see you," was all Dick said.

"Okaaaaay? You wanna come in, or do you prefer to have all your  
conversations on the ledges of tall buildings?"

"Okay," was the only answer he got, but then Dick hopped into the  
apartment.

"Nice outfit," Roy chuckled at Dick's chosen attire of pajama pants,  
slippers and open leather jacket. "How'd you get here?"

"Bike."

"In that?!"

"Needed to see you," Dick shrugged.

"Okay, so now you're here. What's up?"

"Am I doing the right thing? Marrying Babs?"

"Of course," Roy lied, giving Dick the best smile he could  
summon. "You're just getting cold feet now the wedding's just a week  
away."

Dick let out a sharp breath. "I... I don't know, Roy. I keep having  
these dreams about... this person, and I think I'm in love  
with...this person."

Roy felt a surge of jealousy. "Anyone I know?" he asked coldly.

"Yeah," Dick looked up and saw Roy's face. Mistaking the jealousy  
for disgust, though, he continued, "but it's not important. You're  
probably right. It's just cold feet."

Roy shrugged, "Yeah, sure."

"Geez," Dick moaned. "I can't believe I woke you up for this."

"Don't worry about it. I was awake anyway. Coffee?"

Dick was finally feeling the night hit him. "Nah, I should just,  
um..."

Seeing Dick's eyes start to droop, Roy cut in, "You can crash here,  
man. It's no problem."

"Thanks," Dick was already nodding off.

Roy rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just lie down, Dick?" Dick just  
nodded wordlessly and lay down on the couch. Roy padded over to the  
hall closet, grabbed a spare blanket and pillow, and came back over  
to the couch. Dick was out cold. Roy smiled softly at the sight.  
What a strange few months it has been. First, he and Dick get into a  
terrible fight, and now the man was sleeping on his couch, not  
looking much older than Lian, well, except bigger.

Roy lay the blanket down for a moment and took the time to take  
Dick's slippers off. He then lay the blanket over Dick, tucking him  
in, then leaned in close to gently lift Dick's head up so he could  
put the pillow underneath him. Dick muttered, "Love you," in his  
sleep. Roy turned bright red, but stayed there a moment. He knew  
Dick wasn't talking to him; he was probably dreaming about Barbara,  
or whoever this other girl was. Still, he was mere inches from Dick,  
so close that Roy's breath was rustling the hair on Dick's head.

"I love you too, Dick," he whispered in the other man's ear. The  
sleeping man responded with a snore, at which Roy chuckled.

Roy finally got up from the couch and made his way into the kitchen  
for that cup of coffee. After a few sips, he picked up the kitchen  
phone and dialed. After a few rings, "Donna, it's Roy. Call me when  
you get this."


	5. The Cat's Out of the Bag

Dick woke up to the smell of coffee and a sizeable lump poking into his lower back. He groaned and opened his eyes. He took a second to absorb his surroundings. Roy's apartment. His living room to be exact; hence the pain in his back from sleeping on Roy's notoriously lumpy couch.

Dick sat up and stretched. He could hear voices in the kitchen.

"Roy, just tell him how you feel," he heard a voice he knew belonged to Donna say.

"I can't, Donna. It's not that simple, you know that."

Dick furrowed his brow. Was Roy upset with him? Just then the events of the night before came crashing back down on him. The dream. His wildest fantasies had come true in that dream. _But they were just fantasies_, he reminded himself.

He made his way into the kitchen. Roy's back was to him, but Donna saw him.

She smiled. "Dick, good morning. Or should I say afternoon?"

"What time is it?" Dick asked, his voice croaky.

Roy turned around in his chair and gave him a lop-sided grin. "Two o'clock. You finally decide to join the living?"

"Ha ha, Arrow Breath," Dick playfully swatted at Roy's head before sitting at the table with his teammates.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Dick, are you okay?" Donna finally asked, her face etched with concern.

Dick smiled. "Sure, I'm just all stressed out from the whole wedding thing."

Donna nodded.

"I, uh, I called Barbara to let her know you were here," Roy said.

Dick rubbed his face with both hands. "Thanks, Roy. I kind of took off on her without an explanation last night."

"No kidding. She was worried sick about you," his redhead friend said. "We all were."

Dick swallowed his guilt. "I...I'm sorry, Roy. I shouldn't have just shown up like that."

"Hey," Roy put his hand on Dick's shoulder. "You know you can come to me anytime." He made Dick look him in the eyes and gave his friend a warm smile.

Donna watched the exchange between her friends. These two were obviously meant for each other, if only they could admit it to themselves and each other.

"Well," she interrupted, "I'm supposed to go shopping with Toni and Kory. You boys going to be okay without me?"

Roy and Dick each gave her a _Don't leave me alone with him! _look that only made Donna smile more.

"I'll see you boys later." Donna quickly made her exit, praying to Hera that these boys would get a clue before someone, like Barbara, really got hurt.

Back in the kitchen, Dick and Roy sat in silence for a moment.

"I'll get you some coffee," Roy finally broke the silence and stood up from the table. He went to the counter, pulled a mug out of the cabinet and poured Dick a cup of rich, black coffee. He returned to the table, placing the mug in front of his teammate.

"Thanks," Dick said and stared at the coffee before him, watching the steam rise.

Roy cleared his throat. "So, um, do you want to talk about last night? Now that you're somewhat more lucid anyway..."

Dick blushed. "I'm really sorry about that, Roy."

"Don't be. Something got you spooked. Spooked enough to send you all the way here. In the middle of the night. Wearing _that_. On your bike. Without a helmet. Dick, you could have been killed!"

Dick winced.

"Sorry," Roy calmed down.

"S'okay, I deserved that. It was dumb. I wasn't thinking. I just...needed to see you."

"Yeah, that's what you said last night. You were asking me if you were marrying the right person and said you kept dreaming about this other chick you might be in love with too."

Dick blushed bright red.

Roy's jaw dropped. "Omigod, it's Kory isn't it!"

"What?!"

"You said it was someone I know. You turned about as bright red as your old uniform just then. It's totally Kory!"

"It's not Kory, Roy," Dick leaned his head forward to rest on his hands. The steam from his coffee rose up into his face, the heat burning his cheeks.

"Well, who is it then? I've been trying to figure that part out all day."

"You said it was cold feet," Dick pointed a finger at Roy. "It doesn't matter who it is."

"Fine. Whatever." Roy crossed his arms.

"I should...I should call Babs. Can I use your phone?"

"Yeah, man. Whatever."

Dick walked over to the phone, feeling guilty but he had no idea why.

***

Donna lied. There were no shopping plans with Kory and Toni. After leaving Roy's apartment, she scurried down the stairs to the street where her car was parked. She sat down in the driver's seat, the car door making a loud thud noise as it closed.

She took a moment to look up at Roy's window before flipping open her cell phone.

"Hello?" a cheerful voice on the other end of the line answered after a few ring.

"Hi, Dinah? It's Donna Troy. Sorry to bother you, but I need to speak with you. It's about Roy."

"Roy? Is he okay?" the blonde's ears immediately perked up.

Donna had anticipated this reaction. She smiled. "He's fine, Dinah. Both he an Lian are safe and sound, it's just....look can I meet you somewhere? This is a conversation better had in person than on the phone."

Still worried about her boy-o, Dinah hastily agreed to meet Donna in an hour for coffee in Gotham.

That hour passed quickly for Donna, driving from New York to Gotham. She arrived at the specified cafe, where Dinah was already anxiously waiting for her. The blonde drummed her fingers on her coffee mug. Donna approached the table.

"I hope that's decaf," she smiled sweetly at Dinah.

Dinah was startled out of her thoughts. "Oh, I didn't see you there. I was-"

"Worried. I can see that." Donna sat down and ordered a drink from the waiter who came over to the table. As soon as he wondered off, she turned her attention back to Dinah. "Dinah, really, Roy's fine. He's not hurt or anything like that."

"So...why the urgency?" Dinah was growing impatient.

"Okay, well," Donna wasn't sure how to broach this topic. "You're the maid of honor for Dick and Barbara's wedding, right?"

Two eyebrows shot up, seeking cover under blonde bangs. "Yes. What does that have to do with Roy, aside from him being best man?"

Donna sighed. This was going to be tricky. "I don't think Dick and Barbara should be getting married."

Dinah frowned. "Don't tell me you're wanting to confess your undying love for Dick-"

Donna breathed out a laugh. "Oh, Hera, no. It's more...It's more along the lines of Dick being in love with Roy. And vice versa." She took a moment to thank the waiter who arrived with her tea.

Again the eyebrows retreated behind the bangs. "Dick? And Roy?" Donna nodded. "That's why Dick disappeared last night? He's having a lurid affair with my boy-o?"

"No, see, that's the problem," Donna explained. "Neither of them are aware how the other feels, and they're both being, well, pardon my language, but they're both being chicken shits about it."

Dinah chuckled. "No need to pardon your language around me."

Donna continued, "I'm just afraid Dick isn't going to realize what a mistake he's making until it's too late."

"Careful, Donna," Dinah warned. "Babs is one of my best friends; I don't think marrying her is exactly a mistake. Hurting her, however, would be."

Donna sighed. "I don't know Barbara very well, but I do know that Dick cares for her. He wouldn't want to see her hurt either."

"So let me get this straight. Dick is in love Roy, and Roy loves him right back. Neither of them have the balls to admit it, so Babs, who is in love with Dick, is getting strung along to the alter."

"Pretty much," Donna winced.

"I'll kill them."

"Rather than kill them," Donna started diplomatically, "I was hoping you could help me figure out a way to stop the wedding with the least pain to Barbara."

Dinah nodded. If Dick left Barbara at the alter, it would be humiliating. Just as bad, if he and Babs were married before he got a clue, they would have to go through the hassle of a divorce. "You're sure he's in love with Roy, and not Barbara?" she asked the brunette.

"He cares for Barbara; but he's in love with Roy."

Dinah puffed out her cheeks and blew air out between her lips, making a rather annoying noise that caused the people at the next table to look at her. "Let me think on it," she finally answered.

"You're not going to tell Barbara are you?" Donna was concerned she'd opened a can of worms that wasn't ready to be opened yet.

"Not yet. My hope is that Dick will grow a pair and tell her himself."

"One would hope," Donna agreed.

"I'm meeting Babs tonight. I'll talk to her then, try and get a feel for where she's at with her wedding. Chances are she suspects something as well. Thanks for telling me, Donna. You're a good friend to my boys."

"Anytime, Dinah."

***

Suspect something Barbara did, thanks to the fact that Dinah had forgotten to turn her commlink earrings off before meeting Donna.

_That's why Dick disappeared last night? He's having a lurid affair with my boy-o?_

The words burned in her ears. She heard nothing after that, as she had hastily switched off the connection. She didn't want to hear more, couldn't stand to hear more.

Dick didn't want her. He wanted Roy. It wasn't even another woman he was cheating on her with. It was that loud, obnoxious, poor-excuse for a father.... okay, suffice to say, Barbara was pissed. Livid even. One week away from her wedding and she finds out her groom is a... Very well. Two could play at this game. He wanted to humiliate her? She knew just what might get her sweet revenge.


End file.
